Post by Category : Interesting Stuff

Earth911.com: A Decade of Sharing: The Freecycle Network Turns 10

January 17, 2013 fiona

At some point, most of us have probably given away things we didn’t need to friends or family members. But what should you do when you don’t know anyone who wants the leftover dirt from your gardening project or your old lawnmower? One solution is to check out The Freecycle Network, an organization that encourages people to participate in a culture of giving.

Freecycle, a website founded in May of 2003 by Deron Beal of Tucson, Ariz., began when Beal wanted to donate a bed, but couldn’t find any local organizations willing to accept one. Beal wanted to create a way for people to give away items that still had value, but that might otherwise end up in a landfill. To solve the problem, Beal got together a small group of friends interested in sharing the things they no longer needed, and that initial group has grown into a project that boasts 9 million members in more than 110 countries.

"about us", All U.S., Big Time News, Interesting Stuff, International, News Articles, Recycling Info

Olabelhe- Blog: I ‘heart’ Freecycle

January 13, 2013 fiona

Have you heard about Freecycle? Most communities have one. It’s an amazing opportunity to either purge your unwanted stuff or go treasure hunting. As with most people the beginning of each new year is the time to clean out the old and make room for new stuff. Time for organizing closets, and cabinets, and so on. I have been a little OCD over the past week or so going through the house and making piles of “things to keep”, “things to donate” and “things to get rid of” and trust me there are a lot of things that I would like to find new homes for and Freecycle is a great way to do that. Just yesterday I listed a bunch of stuff and it already has been claimed by various people anxious to come and collect it. Whats the old saying??? “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” and that certainly is true. Over the next few days I hope to purge a bunch more stuff on freecycle, list a bunch of stuff on either Craig’s list or Ebay and most likely make several trips to our local recycling center to drop off misc. other stuff. Oh, it feels so good!

"about us", All U.S., Blog, Interesting Stuff, Recycling Info

MetroWest Daily News:Down to Earth: Bring in the new year with old treasures

January 11, 2013 fiona

However, there is a movement afoot to be more thrifty and creative by reusing, repairing and buying secondhand items at a much-reduced cost. The technological age in some ways has made people more isolated, but when it comes to sharing or buying items, the world is small and the connections for free items are astonishing. Freecycle (www.freecycle.org) is a site where people post items they are giving away or items they need. Everything is free. There are 5,082 groups, so you can sign up for a local group for easy pick-up of items. Things to donate or take range from furniture to building materials to anything that is legal, not a weapon or pornography, etc. Several years ago, we had a bulky computer, keyboard and tower that neither our friends nor we wanted. We posted it on Freecycle and with in a day we had a mom at our doorstep thrilled to be providing her son with a full computer set-up. Craiglist (www.craigslist.org) also has incredible secondhand items for sale and some items for free.

Interesting Stuff, News Articles, Recycling Info, US Northeast

At each Turn: Free Cycle Poetry or The Story of Futons and Life

January 8, 2013 fiona

So, we finally got rid of the futon. It was broken, but I posted a full disclosure notice on the Charlottesville-Albemarle Freecycle list.

Futon, mission style frame wih mattress & coverAfter a few email exchanges and phone calls to arrange pick up between snow showers, a woman and her dad borrowed a truck to come get the futon; let’s call them Helen and James.

We showed Helen and James where the futon frame needs repair.

“I’m a carpenter by trade. This will be no problem,” said James.

Rick had already told me the frame could be repaired for under $10, so any guilt I had about passing on broken stuff, even for free, was really evaporating.

"about us", Blog, Interesting Stuff, Recycling Info, US Central

Arizona Daily Star: Bring some, take some, for free

January 7, 2013 fiona

Bring some, take some, for free
Tucson-based group sponsoring ‘no strings attached’ meet-ups

The guests have gone, the holiday hullabaloo hushed.

What’s left: stuff. Ribbons. Wrapping paper. And an assortment of misguided gifts and other unwanted items that promise to take up space for the next year, if not forever.

Rather than throw these things away, wouldn’t it be great to give them to someone who could love them – and even get something you truly want in return?

Freecycle.org, founded by Deron Beal on May 1, 2003, enables exactly that.

Beal created the website so that locals could sign up on a list server to unload items or request things they want to find.

Beal says the website he founded in Tucson now serves communities in more than 110 countries, and he expects to reach 10 million participants worldwide this year.

"about us", Interesting Stuff, News Articles, Recycling Info, US Southwest

Las Cruces Sun-News: Keeping glass out of the landfill

January 5, 2013 fiona

Freecycle Network is a nonprofit organization started in 2003 in Arizona. Since then, Freecycling has spread to cities all over the U.S., and to 85 countries around the world.

Millions of members have joined since its inception almost 10 years ago, and together they keep 500 tons of perfectly good items out of the landfill every day, according to www.freecycle.org.

Freecycle Network is considered a worldwide “gifting” movement that benefits communities while saving valuable resources. It is not a trading community and no money is ever accepted. The goal is for members to “give” the items they don’t want, without any strings attached or compensation. In Las Cruces, Carrie Hamblen, executive director of the Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce, has been an active member for more than two years, and avidly encourages Las Cruces residents to join.

Interesting Stuff, News Articles, Recycling Info, US Southern

Post Tribune: Food For Families

December 24, 2012 fiona

Four years ago, Mandy Moore of Chesterton saw someone was giving away a turkey on the Freecycle website.

Out of curiosity, she contacted the giver and discovered 50 people wanted the holiday staple. Sensing an unfilled need in her community, Moore put together seven meals and put that up on Freecycle.

Harbor Light: Give the gift of reading

December 22, 2012 fiona

Give the gift of reading this holiday season, by donating gently used books to Great Start’s Freecycle Book Bins. The project, which allows families to take home free books from community locations, has been so successful that the need for additional books continues to grow.

Leadership Little Traverse’s class of 2013 took on the Freecycle Book Bins, started by the Great Start Collaborative and Great Start Parent Coalition, as its service learning project. The group is currently seeking used or new books, ranging from infant board books to chapter books. Drop off locations include the Harbor Springs Library, Harbor Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, Big Apple Bagels, Petoskey Library, and Petoskey Area Chamber of Commerce by December 21.

CT on a budget: LOVE Freecycle!

December 17, 2012 fiona

I needed another table in order to be able to seat all that are coming to a Christmas party that I am hosting. I looked on line, these go for $50 for the cheapo, plastic topped ones to more like $100 and up for study, industrial ones. Today, I had college boy with his truck pick up and deliver a Freecyled 6 foot, folding party table. While there are a few scratches in the top, wood grain finish, this is an all steel table that will more than suit my needs, especially as I plan on covering it with a table cloth! Very, very happy to now own this, my cost? just a tip to college boy to help cover his gas. Well worth it!

"about us", All U.S., Blog, Interesting Stuff, Recycling Info

Adventure in Croatia: Some things in life are free – Freecycle

December 16, 2012 fiona

I’ve already done a post about Freecycle a few month back, but I thought I would remind all my blogging buddies about this fantastic website and community, where you can give away items for free, and find items for free.

It is so satisfying to give things away, rather than knowing they will go to landfill site or an incinerator. And don’t think that the item you are giving away should be in perfect condition, I’ve given away items which were broken, and there is always somebody out there who can take it and fix it!

"about us", Interesting Stuff, Recycling Info, UK

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